that is, I'm offering some of my thoughts on the lethargy of Teshnos. Sadly, apart from the mention in G:CotHW there is nothing official available on this topic (as far as I'm aware). Great! Improvisation goes boing.
In the olden days, when the Teshni came to the land that bears their name on their way to enlighten the world and spread the Truth of Zitro Argon (registered trademark as interpreted by the Teshni), they easily brushed aside the abominable and savage people of Tepur (aka the people of the Night-Caste, an earth culture) who had lived and ruled there previously. The Teshni for a time ruled with fire and sword, suppressing all resistance and denying the conquered Tepuri the worship of their native gods and goddesses. After this time they began to use the Tepuri as a mass of working slaves, engaging in further mass slaughter only oc- casionaly to teach those groveling and untrustworthy slaves a lesson in fear, but still denying them the worship of gods/goddesses.
The Teshni ruled far and wide in the East, the West, the North and the Middle under the energetic and forceful rule of their semi-divine "Vessel of Light", a descendant of Zitro Argon himself. He cast his eyes over his realm, until he turned south, where his brilliant gaze was insulted still by the remnants of the foul Tepuri, holding out against his endeavours on a large body of earth somewhat removed from the main part of the land (that's to say: an island). And he mused:
"It is not in keeping with the order of rule granted to me and my
people that those sullied slaves should be spared their fate of
servitude, furthering the upholding of the Truth with the miserable
exertions of their unworthy lives. Thus, I will send the `Turret-of-War'
(the grand-general of the Teshni) against them to punish their
recalcitrant behaviour and reduce them to their proper station!"
The Great Army of Fire was assembled, and when the time was right to open the assault, Ashoka, the Turret-of War (better name, anyone?) threw his spear of war in a mighty feat onto the body of earth, and he and his army charged across a bridge of fire and light to set their feet of victory on this land of the enemy.
As Ashoka and his Army approached the end of the bridge, their advance slowed down. Ashoka had expected an army of warriors to receive him, but instead only a single figure, obviously female, was waiting there at the site where the bridge burned the earth it touched. As Ashoka was to set foot on the solid earth, the figure spoke.
"You come unwanted to me, and you bring a mighty host of
warriors. But this time you will not gain the spoils of victory, unless
you will heed my will."
"What is this?" replied Ashoka,"How dare you make demands upon
me? I am come, your conqueror, and I will not endure your speech."
At this, a band of warriors jumped from the bridge upon the earth to get hold of the figure, but instantly the earth, with a tremendous groan, opened up a pit and swallowed the warriors. When the noise had subsided, the woman spoke again.
"I have told you that you shall not conquer, and you and all of
this mighty host shall perish, unless you agree to my will."
"Speak then, what is it you will?", replied Ashoka, wroth with
anger. "But guard your words, as all of the Teshni will hear your
importunities and punish you for your immodesty."
"Then let them hear! I will not bear to be your slave or suffer
your rule, unless you agree to enter a test of riddles with me. If my wit
shall be found wanting, I will bow my neck to you as my master. If you
shall be found unable to answer, you will suffer."
A great outcry ran through the Teshnan host, appalled at such a gross demand. But Ashoka bid them to calm down, sure in the knowledge of his superiority and unsurpassed excellency in the art of riddling.
"I will grant you this gross demand, but be assured that your
punishment will be the worse for it."
And they settled down and began the exchange of riddles, as set down in the rules of the contest, made by Zitro Argon himself. Finally ...
- --------------------------------------------------- At this point I have to interrupt the story I'm trying to write. The formal test of riddles looks something like this: The Question consists of "Who was ... and what did he do/why did he do it?" The answer consists of the story of the deeds of the personquestioned, and an attached morale or symbolic explanation. (This is inspired by a novel trilogy I read in a german translation, called "Erdmeister", where a school of riddle-masters is featured, something like a philosophical school of thought)
It seems clear that Ashoka/the Teshnan Hero finally lost the contest he had entered as the representative of the whole Teshni people, probably by adhering too strictly to the letter of the riddles than on the spirit of them (that is, the world had changed since Zitro Argon had given his explanations), or by encountering a riddle beyond his vast knowledge. Unfortunately I haven't come up with a riddle to fit this deep reaching results so far.
Shamed, he and his host had to return to the mainland, where he and all Teshni succumbed to what came to be known as the curse of lethargy. The effect was the striving to get even deeper into the knowledge and mystery of Zitro Argon's order to surmount the seeming breach of this order. In this way the Teshni became wary to take an action without previously trying to measure out every conceivable argument and counter- argument, and so they most of the time take no action at all. Best examples for this wary inactivity are the notorious law suits, handled by the holies of the Zitro Argon-caste, which are known to drag on for centuries at times.
Most of the time the Teshni are seen to ponder mighty questions, study tomes of ancient knowledge, or to discuss in a slow and restrained way, taking hours at a time.
Naturally, this way of life has a high drop-out quota of people who cannot live up to the ascetic and very demanding expectations of their kin. These people often develop a fatalistic view of life, or seek ease for their troubled minds in the debauchery of Solf.
***Warning*** If the Teshni are threatened directly with loss of lifeand limb, they can react vigorously and have done so in the past. But this vigour of action fades and dwindles when there's no direct threat. They just cannot take actions or preemptive measures of their own account. Also, this curse is contagious if people stay living too long with the Teshni.
Note that in my view Melib and the Tepuri of mainland Teshnos have never been subject to the curse of lethargy. On Melib, there still exists a thriving earth culture, though battered by time, Harstar's achievements and the ravages of the God Learners in the second age (when they were wiped of the island, Melib had been irreparably damaged).
Harstar has, with the aid of the Kethaelan survivors, successfully entered the contest against Melina, goddess of Melib, for a second time, and won. His way of worship offers the key to lift the curse from the Tehni, but it also includes the Tepuri in the worship of Kalish/Calyz and Solf and the acceptance of Melina and her kin in worship for Teshnans, something that doesn't go down too well with Pubnashap and alii.
I apologize for the length of this unstructured document, but I offer it up to your valued criticism as my take on the neglected area of Teshnos and Melib. I try to make something useful out of this and other thoughts, playtest them at the german RQ-Con, and finally write an essay for FREE INT-magazine, so shout me down if you can't find any potential in this outline.
Ralf
End of Glorantha Digest V1 #157
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